Navy football looks to build confidence in home opener against struggling FCS opponent Wagner
Navy football was a three-touchdown underdog for the season opener against Notre Dame. The oddsmakers wound up looking good as the Midshipmen lost to the Fighting Irish, 42-3.
It will be a different story going into the home opener against Wagner as Navy will be the overwhelming favorite. Facing a struggling Football Championship Subdivision program, the Midshipmen will seek to build some confidence by making vast improvements on both sides of the ball.
Navy’s offense showed glimpses against Notre Dame but had trouble sustaining drives and only amassed 169 total yards. Offensive coordinator Grant Chesnut said drives of 14 and 15 plays showed what the Mids are capable of.
“When we go out and perform with good effort and consistency from an execution standpoint, we have a chance to be a pretty good offense. Right now, our biggest points of improvement are our inconsistency in effort and execution,” Chesnut said. “We showed the ability to move the football against a very good Notre Dame defense. At the end of the day, we weren’t able to finish drives and score points due to lack of effort and execution. There are some positive things on the tape to build off.”
There weren’t many positives on the defensive side as Navy was shredded for 444 total yards and gave up touchdowns on six of eight Notre Dame possessions. Rushing defense has been a strength of the Mids in recent seasons, but they got gouged for 191 yards on the ground by a fleet of Fighting Irish tailbacks led by Audric Estime.
A review of the film found a total of 19 missed tackles, an uncharacteristically high amount that defensive coordinator P.J. Volker said “made my skin crawl.” Notre Dame runners gained 118 yards after contact.
“We need to be better tacklers. We had guys in position. You have to be able to get guys on the ground,” said Volker, who noted that Navy has gone back to the basics in that department.
Volker liked the resolve he saw out of the defense during the bye week.
“We equate the season to a 12-round boxing match. We took some licks in the first round and we’re going back to our corner to regroup,” Volker said. “How are you going to come out for the second round? Everything I’ve seen from these guys is that we’re going to come out swinging.”
Coach Brian Newberry and the rest of the staff challenged the players last week, holding four rigorous practices including two in full pads. Newberry said the Mids “got after it pretty good” and was pleased with the way the players “attacked the week.”
“They certainly approached the bye like they had a bad taste in their mouths,” he said.
Newberry declared open competition at all positions last week and said no job was safe. He told the media Monday the coaching staff moved some pieces around and changed up some things to get the best 11 players on the field on both sides of the ball.
There’s an old adage that college football teams make their greatest amount of improvement between the first and second game. Newberry expects Navy to make an even bigger leap by virtue of having a bye after the opener. The first-year coach did not hesitate when asked what areas needed the most improvement.
“Effort and execution. Period. We’ve got to get better in both and I’m certain we will,” he said. “When we play with the elite effort, attitude and toughness that we talk about and combine that with clean execution, I think we have a chance to be a really good football team. When you’re lacking one or the other or both, we lose our edge and we’re not a very good football team.”
Wagner, which went 1-10 last season, was predicted to finish last in the Northeast Conference in the preseason poll. The Seahawks are 1-24 under third-year coach Tom Masella after losing to Fordham, 46-16, in the season opener.
This marks the first meeting between Navy and Wagner, and Newberry said his squad is in no position to overlook any opponent. Navy started last season by losing to an FCS school in Delaware, 14-7. Newberry said that result should serve as a “lesson” and “reminder” for the Midshipmen.
“The fact it’s an FCS opponent doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t change our approach or our sense of urgency,” Newberry said. “I look at every game on our schedule and think they’re all winnable and they’re all games in which we can get beat.”
Wagner has a new offensive coordinator in Stephen Matos and performed decently on that side of the ball in the opener. The Seahawks amassed 432 total yards, most of which came through the air. Quarterback Steven Krajewski, a Connecticut transfer, threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Trevor Shorter had a big game with five catches for 131 yards and a score.
“I think [Wagner] is a much-improved football team. I watched their game this morning and they were able to move the football and got into the red zone a bunch,” Newberry said. “It’s certainly a team with good players that can beat us.”
Newberry previously served as defensive coordinator at Kennesaw State when that program played at the FCS level and remembers what it was like to go against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent.
“You kind of feel like you’re an underdog and you’ve got nothing to lose. I’m sure those guys have a chip on their shoulder that they weren’t recruited by any FBS teams,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to prove themselves playing against a higher level.”
